Malignant mesothelioma treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can help patients live longer with fewer symptoms. Some patients have lived for 20 years or more thanks to mesothelioma treatments. Work with our team to find the best mesothelioma treatments for you or a loved one.
Video Summary: Registered Nurse Amy Fair explains what mesothelioma is, the causes, and the symptoms.
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What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma attacks the tissues that line most major organs, called the mesothelium. It is known mainly to attack the mesothelium of the lung, pericardial sack, peritoneal cavity in the abdomen, and also known to attack the lining of the testicles.
One of the first symptoms for developing mesothelioma is shortness of breath. A lot of times folks will have the shortness of breath with the pleuritic chest pain. This is also followed sometimes by substantial weight loss.
Many times after being diagnosed with mesothelioma your physician may ask you if you have been exposed to asbestos. Asbestos is a causative factor for mesothelioma. Some of the imaging studies may show underlying pleural plaques which are indicated that they have been around asbestos and may have underlying asbestosis.
The risk factors for developing mesothelioma are working around asbestos-related products, or being indirectly around those products such as secondhand exposures that are seen with wives that launder their loves ones' clothes that have asbestos dust on them. So direct asbestos exposure, as well as indirect asbestos exposure, can be causative factors for mesothelioma.
If you have symptoms of mesothelioma of any asbestos-related disease, it’s important that you inform your doctor of your asbestos exposure so that appropriate testing can be done.
Medically reviewed by:Todd Gersten, MDDouble Board-Certified Oncologist and Hematologist
How Is Mesothelioma Treated?
Common mesothelioma treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy.
Doctors use different treatments depending on factors like cancer stage, spread, and the patient’s overall health.
Key Facts on Treatment for Malignant Mesothelioma
Treatments can kill cancer cells, help patients live longer, and ease symptoms.
Veterans can get free or low-cost treatment with VA health care.
We can connect you with nearly 150 top mesothelioma doctors.
If you or a loved one is a U.S. veteran with mesothelioma, our on-staff nurses may be able to help you find and afford top treatments.
Mesothelioma Surgery
Mesothelioma surgery is often considered the best treatment option. Doctors can remove cancer tumors from the body with several types of surgery.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs shrink tumors. Commonly used chemotherapy drugs for mesothelioma include pemetrexed and cisplatin.
Radiation Therapy
Mesothelioma radiation uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells. Radiation also causes the tumors to shrink, making them easier to remove with surgery.
Mesothelioma Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a newer type of mesothelioma treatment. It helps the body find and destroy mesothelioma cells.
Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields)
TTFields slow the growth of cancer tumors by using electrically charged pads that stick to the skin. The electricity doesn’t harm the patient.
Multimodal Treatment for Mesothelioma
Multimodal treatment combines therapies. For example, doctors may remove tumors with surgery and then use radiation or chemotherapy to kill leftover cancer cells.
Mesothelioma surgery is often the most effective treatment, allowing doctors to extract cancer tumors from the body. Doctors use different types of mesothelioma surgeries depending on where the cancer has formed.
Extrapleural Pneumonectomy (EPP)
Extrapleural pneumonectomy is used to treat pleural mesothelioma. Doctors remove the lung closest to the cancer, the lining of the lungs (pleura), and parts of the heart lining and diaphragm.
Pleural mesothelioma patients who received an EPP with chemotherapy and radiation lived for 24 months on average in a 2023 study from Translational Lung Cancer Research.
Patients must be in good overall health to get an EPP as they’ll need a long recovery period after the lung is removed.
Pleurectomy With Decortication (P/D)
Also used for pleural mesothelioma, a pleurectomy with decortication removes cancer from the lung lining while sparing both lungs. Many oncologists (cancer doctors) prefer the P/D to the EPP since it’s less intense.
Patients who got a P/D and additional chemotherapy lived for over 3 years on average in a Translational Lung Cancer Research report published in 2023.
Cytoreductive Surgery With HIPEC
Cytoreduction with HIPEC is the main surgery doctors use to treat peritoneal mesothelioma, which forms in the abdominal lining.
Doctors first use cytoreductive surgery to remove tumors, and then they apply heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) to kill leftover cancer cells.
Peritoneal mesothelioma patients live for 3.3 years on average with this treatment, according to a 2023 Annals of Surgical Oncology report.
Get our Free Veterans Packet for help finding specialists who can recommend top mesothelioma treatments
Mesothelioma chemotherapy is medication that shrinks cancer tumors and kills cells. Most patients receive a combination of two chemotherapy drugs, cisplatin and pemetrexed.
Pleural mesothelioma patients treated with chemotherapy lived for 15.8 months on average as noted in a 2022 Translational Lung Cancer Research study.
Immunotherapy Treatment for Mesothelioma
Immunotherapy stimulates the body’s immune system to fight cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two immunotherapy drugs, Opdivo® and Yervoy®, to treat pleural mesothelioma.
Pleural mesothelioma patients lived for 21.4 months on average when treated with immunotherapy in a 2024 ESMO Open study.
Radiation Treatment for Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma radiation or radiotherapy shrinks tumors and eases symptoms. It’s often used as a follow-up (adjuvant) treatment to kill cancer cells left behind after surgery.
Pleural mesothelioma patients treated with radiation lived for 12.2 months on average, according to 2022 data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB).
Call (877) 450-8973 now to connect with nurses who can help you find top mesothelioma treatments, doctors, and cancer centers.
Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields)
Tumor treating fields (TTFields) interrupt the growth of cancer cells using electrical pads that stick to the body. The electricity doesn’t hurt the patients.
The FDA has approved a TTFields device called the OptuneLua® to treat pleural mesothelioma along with chemotherapy. The recent STELLAR trial found that this combination helped patients live for 18.2 months on average.
Multimodal Treatment
Multimodal treatment combines more than one therapy together to destroy as much of the cancer as possible.
Using several mesothelioma treatments is often more effective than just one specific therapy. As a result, multimodal therapy is considered the standard of care for many patients.
New Mesothelioma Treatments and Clinical Trials
You may be able to access emerging mesothelioma treatments through clinical trials.
Clinical trials test new treatments for mesothelioma, like:
Brachytherapy: Using a capsule with radioactive material to treat cancer
Cryotherapy: Applying extremely cold liquid or spray that shrinks cancer tumors
Gene Therapy: Adding genes to cancer cells to destroy them more easily
Photodynamic Therapy: Using light to kill cancer cells with a light-sensitive medicine
Immunotherapy and TTField treatments were approved as mesothelioma treatment options after they showed success in clinical trials.
Palliative Mesothelioma Treatments
Palliative mesothelioma treatments can help manage symptoms and improve a patient’s quality of life.
Palliative care options for mesothelioma include:
PleurX Catheter: Allows patients to drain pleural effusions (fluid buildup in the lung lining) at home instead of going to a hospital.
Pleurodesis: Doctors seal the lung lining to prevent effusions, easing symptoms like shortness of breath.
Thoracentesis/Paracentesis: Doctors remove fluid from the lining of the lung or abdomen using a thin needle.
Surgeries: Minor surgeries can reduce the size of tumors and relieve symptoms.
Use our Free Veterans Packet for help finding mesothelioma specialists who can recommend treatments for you or a loved one.
Alternative treatments are also available for patients with mesothelioma. They are not a substitute for standard treatments but may lessen symptoms and stress.
Mesothelioma natural treatment options include:
Changes to diet
Exercise
Herbal therapies
Meditation and breathing techniques
Yoga
After receiving a cancer diagnosis and undergoing treatments like chemotherapy, Art Putt consumed a natural blend of vegetables, powders, and oils that improved his quality of life.
“I can't explain it other than that I just started feeling better.” — Art Putt, U.S. veteran with mesothelioma
Mesothelioma Treatment and Prognosis
Cancer treatments may allow doctors to remove or destroy tumors, which can extend a patient’s life expectancy and improve their mesothelioma prognosis (health outlook).
Here’s how mesothelioma treatments can improve prognosis:
Pleural mesothelioma patients live for 2-3 years on average with treatments like surgery.
Peritoneal mesothelioma patients can live for over 3 years after surgery and chemotherapy.
Some patients become long-term mesothelioma survivors, living for over 20 years after undergoing treatment.
Without any form of treatment, mesothelioma patients typically live for 1 year or less. Top cancer doctors can see which mesothelioma treatments may help improve your survival.
U.S. Veterans Who Lived Longer With Mesothelioma Treatments
Many U.S. veterans with mesothelioma received treatment to live longer with this cancer and make more memories with their families. See which treatment approaches helped veterans below.
Given 1 year or less to live after his 2018 diagnosis, Art used well-established treatments and natural remedies to survive. He’s living happily with his wife today.
After his mesothelioma diagnosis, Walt chose to get palliative (pain-relieving) care rather than major treatments. He ultimately lived for 2 and a half years.
Doctors Who Treat Mesothelioma
If you or a loved one has mesothelioma, it’s important to see a specialist who has experience treating your type of cancer. Skilled mesothelioma doctors can determine which types of treatments may work best for you.
Top mesothelioma doctors for veterans include:
Dr. Robert Cameron: Treats pleural mesothelioma at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center in California
Dr. Daniel Wiener: Treats pleural mesothelioma at the Boston VA Healthcare System in Massachusetts
Dr. Eugene Choi: Treating veterans with peritoneal mesothelioma at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Dr. Lorraine Cornwell: Helping pleural mesothelioma patients at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Most of the doctors above are within the VA health care network and specifically treat veterans. Use our free doctor search tool to find mesothelioma specialists near you.
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Mesothelioma Specialists in
Speak with our trusted advocates to learn more about mesothelioma specialists in your state.
U.S. veterans who work with a mesothelioma cancer treatment center within the VA health care system typically get treated for free.
Affording Mesothelioma Treatment Costs
Mesothelioma treatment costs can exceed $400,000. Other expenses, like travel costs for treatment and lost wages if you or a loved one must stop working after a diagnosis, can also quickly add up.
VA benefits: Married veterans with mesothelioma can get $4,044.91 per month from VA benefits. Veterans with VA health care can also access free or low-cost cancer treatments.
Asbestos trust fund claims: These trusts contain over $30 billion today. You may qualify for compensation from multiple trusts.
Mesothelioma lawsuits: On average, these lawsuits award over $1 million. We can file a lawsuit on your behalf if you qualify. These lawsuits don’t involve the U.S. military or government, but rather the companies that hid the dangers of asbestos.
“It was the only time in my life that I considered retaining a lawyer and suing somebody. These manufacturers were aware that asbestos created health problems.” — Ernie Conry, U.S. Army veteran with mesothelioma
Get our Free Veterans Packet to learn about compensation options to help cover your mesothelioma treatment expenses.
Call (877) 450-8973 now to speak with us and learn more about how we may be able to assist you.
Mesothelioma Treatment Options FAQs
Is there any treatment for mesothelioma?
Yes, there are several treatment options for mesothelioma cancer.
The most notable treatments are:
Chemotherapy
Immunotherapy
Radiation
Surgery
Mesothelioma specialists can use these treatments to remove, shrink, or destroy cancer tumors so patients can hopefully live longer.
What is the best treatment for mesothelioma?
Some of the best treatments for mesothelioma are surgeries and chemotherapy.
Doctors can remove cancer tumors with surgery, which may allow patients to live for several years. The American Cancer Society (ACS) notes that chemotherapy is the next best treatment if surgery can't be used.
Call (877) 450-8973 now for help finding the best mesothelioma treatments for your case.
What is the treatment for mesothelioma in the lungs?
Your cancer care team can treat pleural mesothelioma (which forms in the lung lining and may spread to the lungs) with surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation.
Surgery is often recommended for pleural mesothelioma patients whose cancer hasn’t spread very far. Patients who get pleural mesothelioma surgery live for 2-3 years on average.
What are stage 4 mesothelioma treatment options?
Doctors often use systemic treatments like chemotherapy to help stage 4 mesothelioma patients live longer, as well as supportive care to ease symptoms. Surgery is typically not possible in stage 4 due to cancer spread.
Stage 4 mesothelioma without treatment has a poor prognosis of just a few months. But, with the right treatment plan, some patients can live for many years.
Has anyone ever recovered from mesothelioma?
Yes, some people have recovered from mesothelioma. U.S. Army & Air Force veteran Art Putt is still living today after his diagnosis in 2018. He was originally given a year or less to live.
While not everyone will recover from mesothelioma, you have a better chance if you get treatments to shrink or remove cancer tumors.
Will mesothelioma ever be curable?
While there is not yet a cure, mesothelioma treatments may be able to help you live for many years after a diagnosis. Some mesothelioma patients have survived for 20 years or more with cancer treatments.
Additionally, doctors continue to study new and potentially better treatments in clinical trials with the hope of one day finding a cure.
Mesothelioma spreads quickly and is usually diagnosed only after it has spread, which limits a patient’s treatment options.
Fortunately, many mesothelioma patients can still get treatments even if they’re diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer.
How can veterans access mesothelioma treatments?
Contact us now to pursue mesothelioma treatments. Our veterans advocates and on-staff nurses can connect you with top doctors and tell you more about top treatments.
We can also help you or a U.S. veteran you love access VA benefits and other financial resources to cover treatment expenses.
Disclaimer
The Mesothelioma Veterans Center has no affiliation with and is not endorsed or sponsored by Dr. Robert Cameron. The contact information above is listed for informational purposes only. You have the right to contact Dr. Cameron directly.
Double Board-Certified Oncologist and Hematologist
Fact-Checked
Editor
Todd Gersten, MD, is a double board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist specializing in general adult oncology and hematologic disease. He is a physician partner with the Florida Cancer Specialists and practices in Wellington, Florida.
Dr. Todd Gersten is an independently paid medical reviewer.
Christopher Dryfoos is a journalist and member of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA). As the grandson of the U.S. Navy’s first forensic pathologist, he aims to help veterans with mesothelioma access needed care.
Bou-Samra, P., et al. (2023, April 16). Epidemiological, therapeutic, and survival trends in malignant pleural mesothelioma: A review of the National Cancer Database. Retrieved September 17, 2024, from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cam4.5915
Branch, K., et al. (2023, February 28). Some like it hot: the potential role of hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy in the multimodality treatment of pleural mesothelioma. Retrieved September 17, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9989819/
Ceresoli, G., et al. (2019, October 15). Tumour Treating Fields in combination with pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin as first-line treatment for unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (STELLAR): a multicentre, single-arm phase 2 trial. Retrieved September 17, 2024, from https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(19)30532-7/fulltext
Enomoto, L., et al. (2019, May 07). Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for peritoneal mesothelioma: patient selection and special considerations. Retrieved September 17, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6511620/
Klotz, L., et al. (2022, November). Multimodal therapy of epithelioid pleural mesothelioma: improved survival by changing the surgical treatment approach. Retrieved September 17, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9742626/
Perez, S., et al. (March 2024). Impact of immunotherapy (IT) on overall survival (OS) of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) adjusted for tumor histology. Retrieved September 17, 2024, from https://www.esmoopen.com/article/S2059-7029(24)00674-4/fulltext
Valenzuela, C., et al. (2023, February 08). Long-Term Survival in Patients Treated with Cytoreduction and Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Peritoneal Mesothelioma at a Single High-Volume Center. Retrieved September 17, 2024, from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1245/s10434-022-13061-3
